Town boss Paul Lambert insists staying up isn’t now mission impossible for the Blues, despite Joe Garner’s last-gasp leveller denying them all three points at Wigan.

Lambert was pleased with his 10-man team’s valiant display and felt they might have been in front prior to Jonas Knudsen’s red card for pulling back Leon Clarke.

“I thought we played ever so well, with 10 men for the majority of the game. I thought we were excellent,” Lambert said.

“I thought we started the game brilliantly, I thought we could have been one or two up.

"We started the game well and then Jonas was red-carded. We regrouped at half-time and we defended really strongly but had one lapse.

“I thought Flynn [Downes] should have done better, he should have stopped the cross, but he’ll learn. He’s a young kid, who has been really, really good for me since I’ve come in but you have to be good every single time and I think he should have stopped the cross.”

He added: “The lads were great, I couldn’t ask any more from them, 10 men for the majority of the game. We looked threatening and I think we should have been one or two-up at the beginning of the game.

“I think Nolan has a great chance with his header, Judge has a chance, Myles came in at the back post. We had really good opportunities to score but it never materialised and then the red card gave them the advantage.

“But even then I wasn’t up there thinking the goal was coming or anything like that. There were one or two little moments, which is normal but I think Flynn’s definitely got to do better to stop the cross.”

Lambert had no argument about Knudsen’s dismissal: “I think the referee had a good game. If Jonas is the last man then the rule says he has to go, so I don’t have too many complaints. He’s pulled the guy and if he’s the last man he has to go.”

The Blues boss felt the situation which led to the Dane’s foul shouldn’t have been allowed to occur.

“I think he got caught, it should never have happened,” he added. “We were so comfortable in the game.

“I thought we were really comfortable with the game and one long ball should never really beat you. But I think he got caught under it, Jonas, then tried to retrieve it and then has the tug.”

Lambert had praise for goalscorer Will Keane and said he didn’t know the seriousness of the second-half injury which forced the frontman off.

“I think has been playing fantastically for us since he’s come in,” he continued. “I don’t know the extent of his injury at the minute but it looks like his hamstring so we’ll have to wait and see. But I think he was playing excellent for us the whole game.”

Lambert watched the game from the directors’ box as he served the first match of this two-game touchline ban.

“It’s not great up there but I need to do it again next week,” he reflected. “I’d rather be down there on the touchline. But I’ve had to sit up there and it’s not great.”

He admitted that not holding on for two further points which would have closed the gap is a blow but says other clubs in the relegation fight will feel similarly.

“Yes, but Wigan were saying the same, so were Bolton, so were Reading, they never made any ground,” he said.

“We’re playing well, we’ll have an absolutely next Saturday but we’re certainly playing well, that’s for sure.”

Asked whether staying up is now mission impossible for the Blues, who remain nine points plus goal difference from safety with only 12 left to play, Lambert insisted: “No, not at all.”

Latics boss Paul Cook admitted the game didn't progress as he had expected it to after Town were reduced to 10 men and had praise for the Blues.

“Ipswich started the game very well," he said."They came with attacking intent playing Judge just behind Keane and Quaner.

“Obviously the sending off has big influence on the game. You feel at that point that the likelihood is that we should hopefully go on and win the game.

“Obviously with Ipswich getting the goal very quickly the game was set up where Ipswich would defend very deep and narrowly, and rightly so. And they frustrated us for long, long periods.

“Everybody will have a different opinion, but I didn’t really feel we looked like scoring, if I’m being truthful.

“But the goal came and it was a massive relief but I think Ipswich must take great credit out of the game because I thought they were excellent.”

Asked whether the game illustrated that there are good sides from top to bottom in the Championship, the former Portsmouth manager added: “Look at the quality of player in Ipswich’s team and you can tell that for sure.

"It’s a point, it’s not what we all wanted. We had a good crowd in today and certainly the relief in the stadium was there for all to see.

“It would have been lovely for us to pinch that winner, and that’s not being disrespectful to Ipswich because we didn’t deserve it, but sometimes when things go for you, it goes for you, but unfortunately that wasn’t to be.”

Regarding goalscorer Garner, he said: “It was always something we wanted to do to get two lads at the top end of the pitch, especially when you think that the best way to score would be crosses in the box.

"Joe’s a proven target man/goalscorer. You know when balls go in the box he’ll be at the back post and that was the job he was sent on to do and Joe did it with aplomb, it was great for him to get the goal.”

Photo: TWTD

jas0999 added 17:56 - Feb 23 Admire his optimism, but equally he can't come out and say we are down. Promising that we are unbeaten in three and this is a rare away point. But we needed to win, which was very tough when down to ten men. I agree with PL it was a red card. Knudsen with his experience should have done a lot better.
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NewEraNewMe added 17:56 - Feb 23 Playing with 10 men is all well and good but to have a referee like we did today, it really was like playing against 12, even at half time the horrible little man shrug his shoulders almost like he enjoyed acting the way he did today, look at the stats from today's game, Wigan's 3 fouls to our 16!!!! That's embarrassing as we in no way gave away 16 fouls in my opinion.

6

bluemike1969 added 18:08 - Feb 23 This guy is totally deluded! We are going down as we need to score more goals than the opposition to win... Or has the law of football changed? We deserve nothing more than we have, forget the refs, things not going our way etc as our destiny is our own and if we can't hit a barn door with a shovel then we will draw or lose. Mark me down, do what you want but don't tell me we are good as apart from the terrific support which the team do not deserve in my opinion, we are inept, shameful and embarrassing. Roll on next season as I've waved the white flag.

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Gilesy added 18:24 - Feb 23 He's not deluded at all - what else can he say?
20

Suffolkboy added 18:28 - Feb 23 Blue mike ; do I feel for you ? Sorry, disappointed , frustrated ,angry o what ? Yes we are struggling , & you're committed to next season BUT can you not sit back a while before being compelled to write in this manner ? When you're down many things seem to go against you , and boy have they done so this season !! As to Refereeing, so very many people tell me it's quite the worst ever ; VAR isn't even being used properly ,and un- needed interference and prolonged interruptions do nothing to promote the integrity of the game , NOR to create greater belief and faith in the officiating team or the quality of the decisions ! The FA are unable to get things right , need the thorough reform which was promised and should publicly take heed of the expressions of disbelief at the paucity of decisions and judgements . COYB

3

Dissboyitfc added 18:42 - Feb 23 Chambers was the last line of defence, very naive and stupid from Knudsen, but not a sending off! Don't agree with Lambert, the ref was poor!
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Mark added 18:46 - Feb 23 Three good unbeaten performances from Ipswich, yet still we stay 9 points behind with a worse goal difference. The consolation is that at least we don't get false hope which would make our relegation even more painful. That said, conceding an injury time equaliser on top of Norwich's comeback makes today a grim afternoon. Let's hope Keane isn't ruled out for too long as he has made a difference.

4

TimmyH added 18:49 - Feb 23 Well it is Mission Impossible if you can't win games - something we've struggled to do ALL season even when we play better, I wonder now in hindsight if your were to say to any Town supporter back in the summer that this season we would have had a meagre 3 wins under our belt coming into March what the response would have been?...yes it really has truly been that dire!
5

peteswindon added 18:52 - Feb 23 Disappointed with the tactics, ok we go a man down but we are not good enough to park the bus for such a long time. Again showed promise but dont think a point a game is enough to keep us up.
1

bluemike1969 added 19:04 - Feb 23 OMG guys! You mark me down for my point of view so you must be satisfied with the season and what we have become. Some of you are going to be over the moon next season if we are in the same position in league 1! I on the other hand will not be.
2

ITFCsince73 added 19:06 - Feb 23 No Paul. But it's as close to it as it possibly can be
0

tractorboybig added 19:11 - Feb 23 dear paul if you got the points rather than talk a good game well??? but points make prizes and you seem to have failed there.
-1

herfie added 19:16 - Feb 23 As PL says, not impossible. But, realistically, improbable, though not for lack of effort or desire. Too much damage to repair, too little time in which to do it. When Garner's - almost inevitable - goal went in, the sense of dejection and desolation could be felt radiating from those fantastic supporters who had travelled to Wigan. But, no matter how dark the immediate future might seem, there are undoubtedly gleams of light cutting through the gloom. PL's undoubtedly the man to re-boot the club; ME needs to ensure he's given a fighting chance to do it.

0

braveblue added 19:20 - Feb 23 Bit harsh public slagging Downes. Don't remember Skuse or Chambers getting this treatment!!
4

ArnieM added 19:30 - Feb 23 It bloody well is nigh on impossible with Pratt's like Jonas Knudsen in the side !
4

NewEraNewMe added 19:46 - Feb 23 The sad thing is in two games, Knudsen has been at the forefront of causing us problems, having him out the side may be a blessing in disguise, get collins fit and take his place, that would be lovely, get him in for the reading game, a bloody James Collins with one leg, one arm, one eye is better than a fully working Knudsen
6

blueconscience added 20:00 - Feb 23 It will be impossible if we throw away leads against relegation rivals
1

blueboy1981 added 20:47 - Feb 23 Put simply - FOUR wins on the bounce now needed, just to have a fighting chance. Is that possible ? - of course NOT. Anything less, and it's well and truly over.
-1

NorthFar added 21:46 - Feb 23 Lambert has just had his wrists slapped by the FA and is serving a two match ban, he's hardly going to have a go at the ref is he? As for deluded, do we want a manager who throws the towel in? I don't. What message does that send to players and fans? Let's get behind them and see what happens. COYB.
10

NSL added 22:20 - Feb 23 Oh lambert hahahhahahahahaha. Norwich agent
-6

Lightningboy added 22:51 - Feb 23 It's the hope that kills you. Think we all need to accept that the footballing god's have conspired against us this season big time..no matter how much effort,skill or determination we put in we've been dumped on time after time this season by dodgy refs,bad luck,injuries,penalties,injury time goals,red cards etc etc & there's nothing we can do about it...sooner or later our luck will change,it has to because this season has well & truly taken the pi55.

1

shakytown added 02:41 - Feb 24 Time to just accept the fact that we are down and get on with rebuilding for league 1. Sadly we just have a large number of players who are either not good enough for the championship or are just not ready yet. The players are for the most part trying their best but are just not up to this level of competition and most never will be.
2

harlingblue added 03:41 - Feb 24 Three games unbeaten, we are on a run, with a must win home game against Reading, which must yield 3 points. The sending off today was unjust, Jonas was naive, BUT Chambers was in a deeper covering position, and video evidence should show this, and the red card rescinded, but it lost us the 3 points that our play deserved.
2

ipswichone added 05:27 - Feb 24 sorry lambert, if he was the last man he deserved to be sent off?wasnt the last man, had other defender intervening, so red card was wrong.will we stay up?i suppose we have to keep fighting to the end, but slim chance of staying up
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 06:40 - Feb 24 I suppose, psychologically, in order to get the troops playing in the remaining games, PL has to keep saying this; but it's beginning to sound a little laughable. How long can we keep up the pretence? I for one wouldn't mind if he realistically admitted defeat and said something like "we are now going to try to build and come back better and stronger." Just to clarify, I think PL has done great things already for the mood at the club and I am optimistic he will sort us out in League I, but a dose of realism at this point in the season might not come amiss, so that all this overblown optimism doesn't come back to bite him in the future.

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